Dish of the month (May 2022): macaroni cheese

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

However, a traditional "mac´n´cheese" is a baked dish, isn´t it?

No, not necessarily. It can also be a stovetop or saucepan dish where the cooked pasta is simply mixed with the sauce and served.

And if you prefer melted cheese on the top, mixed as above and the grated cheese added and it put under the (UK term) grill to brown the melted cheese.

 

[karadekoolaid]

I just based my comments on information like this:
A recipe called "macaroni and cheese" appeared in the 1824 cookbook The Virginia Housewife written by Mary Randolph. Randolph's recipe had three ingredients: macaroni, cheese, and butter, layered together and baked in a hot oven.
Mind you, internet sources are not always reliable!!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I just based my comments on information like this:
A recipe called "macaroni and cheese" appeared in the 1824 cookbook The Virginia Housewife written by Mary Randolph. Randolph's recipe had three ingredients: macaroni, cheese, and butter, layered together and baked in a hot oven.
Mind you, internet sources are not always reliable!!

And I said not necessarily, it can also be stovetop. There is more than one way of preparing it traditionally, though the very concept of traditional with this dish is dubious at best.
One source on the net states it was in the UK in 1769... so it's anyone's guess.

A better question is, does it really matter of it is stovetop or baked provided you like the result?

 

[TastyReuben]

I just based my comments on information like this:
A recipe called "macaroni and cheese" appeared in the 1824 cookbook The Virginia Housewife written by Mary Randolph. Randolph's recipe had three ingredients: macaroni, cheese, and butter, layered together and baked in a hot oven.
Mind you, internet sources are not always reliable!!

All that really means is that's how Mary Randolph made hers in 1824. I don't think Ms. Randolph is the definer of what macaroni-and-cheese is in 2022 (or in 1824, for that matter).

In my own experience, stovetop macaroni-and-cheese is a weeknight/I'm-in-a-bit-of-a-hurry dish, and baked macaroni-and-cheese is a weekend/I'm-trying-to-impress-my-date dish.

Purely my opinion, but if I were a betting man, I'd bet people (in the US, anyway) make stovetop macaroni-and-cheese a helluva lot more than they make a baked one.

 

[garlichead]

All that really means is that's how Mary Randolph made hers in 1824. I don't think Ms. Randolph is the definer of what macaroni-and-cheese is in 2022 (or in 1824, for that matter).

In my own experience, stovetop macaroni-and-cheese is a weeknight/I'm-in-a-bit-of-a-hurry dish, and baked macaroni-and-cheese is a weekend/I'm-trying-to-impress-my-date dish.

Purely my opinion, but if I were a betting man, I'd bet people (in the US, anyway) make stovetop macaroni-and-cheese a helluva lot more than they make a baked one.

Look, just mix all the ingredients together on the stove then pop it in the oven, can't we just all get along.

 

[Morning Glory]

Looks divine!
However, a traditional "mac´n´cheese" is a baked dish, isn´t it?

Not in my book! Its very often baked but not always. And who said we were traditionalists on this forum anyway!